Nakata opens up the album with an intro piece to the album and already I can tell this is going to be a very cool album with the synth chords and the speaking in the background that grows into a cool steady beat. Short, but it really puts the album into place and for what’s to come!

2. Another World

Used as the main promotional track (a.k.a the one that got a PV), Another World was my first taste of what was this album fully going to be about…AND I LOVE IT! It has a certain vibe to it that really pulls me back to stuff from “WORLD OF FANTASY” and I appreciate that a lot! Toshiko of course is present in the song and she continues to sound like her robo-self which is one of the finer points from CAPSULE. I do love how it grows into a beat pounding club thumper and the synths are just epic (especially the moments after the choruses) such a fantastic song and good choice to promote the album with!

3. Dreamin’ Boy

Our next track begins with crescendo of synths that builds the song into this pulsating track which empties out to a smooth section with Toshiko that has a certain feel that I can’t fully point out, but it sounds cool nonetheless! The dreamy feel Toshiko has when she sings really accentuates that point…that is before the tune drops out and we get a really gritty synth melody that sounds so damn good hahah! I mean it does scream remix, but I thought it was a clever touch nonetheless! Interesting song overall and definitely worth the listen after “Another World” of course!

4. Hero

It’s like Nakata found a new folder of synth sounds to mess with like with the opening of Hero. It’s refreshing and suits nicely with Toshiko’s lines…then a heavily synthed male voice enters the fray and the tune moves into its EDM-core which is cool and I definitely could hear this song on “WORLD OF FANTASY” as well (he must’ve loved that album, then again the album is named WAVE RUNNER (WOF was called “KILLER WAVE” before the Touhoku Earthquake happened, if you all forgot). After a while, Hero does kind of go by the wayside, but the male stock vocals is kind of cool but it’s a safe song so to speak.

5. Dancing Planet

The first of two instrumental pieces on the album, Dancing Planet takes Nakata to where I think “STEREO WORXXX” kind of popped up with using interesting elements to create a cool track that focuses on Nakata’s skills. It’s definitely a bopper, but I think Toshiko could’ve been singing here as it just feels like her robotic tones could’ve added a lot more complexity and I probably would’ve been jaw-dropped about it. It’s a cool instrumental no doubt, but it definitely could’ve used vocals (or stock vocals). Also the bubble popping is so friggin awesome (maybe some idea he kept after “CAPS LOCK”?

6. Depth (vocal dub mix)

Originally created as an instrumental piece for the movie, Appleseed Alpha back last year, Depth does stick out from the other tracks of the album with the almost stretching into dubstep for its sound (at least by the intro). I do like the slow-paced atmosphere yet it has a certain feel of hope to it? (Mirror’s Edge is the first thing I think of ironically). As this is an edited version to include Toshiko, she adds a certain sad glow to the tune and I loved that about this track! It’s a pretty sweet song overall!

7. Feel Again

Used as the first digital single for the album, Feel Again was our first taste of this album and I thought it was a sign of great things to come for WAVE RUNNER and this feels like the atypical CAPSULE track, but that’s not to say it isn’t good because I really do enjoy this one! The dance beats are nice and the happy-go-lucky up until the beat-dropping happens, because then I feel like I’ve heard those beats (y’know T-ara’s “Sugar Free”). Still, this is a pretty awesome track and surprised it didn’t get a PV like “Another World” did.

8. Unrequited Love

So the song that’s being spoken about by nearly all the fans of CAPSULE, I was curious to what got the fandom loving this track. At first the squeaky synths was odd, but Toshiko came in and the song really toned it down until the synths started to really power the song up and it grew to this kind of awesome triplet synth arrangement that caught my attention quick. It’s a pretty easy tune to throw into clubs and I liked quite a bit, maybe not at the amount fans did, but with an album like this I haven’t totally found a poor song yet!

9. White As Snow

Maybe I shouldn’t have spoken too soon. When the song starts up we’re instantly shot with synths and a steady synth beat which is OK, nothing bad, but then the song goes fizzles out (with an awesome barrage of synth arpeggios) to a piano ballad and Toshiko is actually singing here. Now the weird thing is that I really LOOOOOVE this section especially when the synth plays around Toshiko’s singing melodies…it makes me wonder why the upbeat sections had to be here because White As Snow is pretty as hell as a ballad. After her singing, the song gradually grows back to being upbeat and it instantly hits a hardcore club sound that I myself loved to hell too…these ideas together don’t really mesh well together (would’ve made better sense as two separate tracks honestly. We don’t get to hear the slow stuff again through the track as it’s mostly the edgier sound…but damn…I wanted more of the ballad-y stuff!

10. Beyond The Sky

Closing the album is the 2nd instrumental piece (could be considered an outro). Once again I’m left with the thoughts that Toshiko NEEDED to have sung here as it sounds like it would’ve been epic. I love the intro to this one though, gave me a certain “MORE! MORE! MORE!” groove (maybe “PLAYER”) with the airy arrangement and yet I feel like Perfume could’ve done justice here too. Overall nice instrumental from Nakata, but it feels like a missed opportunity.

Tracks Recommended

Another World

Depth (vocal dub mix)

White As Snow

Unrequited Love

Dreamin’ Boy

Song of Avoidance

Wave Runner

When an album gets me to make the short intro piece the SoA, then you know this album is good by my standards! As the 2nd album under the unBORDE label, WAVE RUNNER was what I was hoping Nakata would’ve put out when he left Yamaha. CAPS LOCK was the experimental album, but it was a mess of an album, luckily I think Nakata took a break (as it shows with how little he did last year (1 Perfume single and Kyary’s stuff) and released a REALLY solid album with WAVE RUNNER. Though I will say, if he made more songs like the ballad section of White As Snow, I would be so happy!

Opening the album with the ever-so prevalent introduction, HOME begins with a repetitive piano line before Nakata’s synths add melody on top of that. To be fair, with the sound of the track I would’ve thought it’d be more a Kyarypamyupamyu intro because of the added toy piano. I mean it’s nice but it doesn’t have a lot of direction to be honest and by the time I felt it would have, we’re already moving into the next track.

2. CONTROL

As the album’s title tracks revolve around buttons on a keyboard, it’s no surprise that it begins with someone literally jamming their fingers on a computer keyboard >.>. I’m kind of annoyed with the repetition in the melody, but it gets pushed back when Toshiko enters but she’s heavily computerized and half the time, I don’t understand what she’s singing. I do like a lot about this song especially once it finally gets on its legs…but it had to work up there…hm.

3. DELETE

Some odd chords and some ticking open up our next track and honestly, I kind of was a little turned off with such a long intro. I will say, this kind of jungle-like atmosphere mixed in with the electro elements really stuck out in a good way. The bad thing though is the fact that this is a 6 and a half minute instrumental and to be honest, I would’ve preferred to have heard Toshiko somewhere in the song because it would’ve sounded great with how mysterious and dark this track came off. I love the melody, but it’s missing something…

4. 12345678

Oh we get another 6 minute track. It opens with some…weird sounds like the AHWOOOGAH horn and some weird creaking sounds as well. God is this such a turnoff from the song. It’s like a calamity of sounds to make a song out of it and it tries to come together with Nakata’s synthwork and 8bit stuff. I mean when the halfway mark passes then Toshiko starts to sing but by then I’m SOOO annoyed by the arrangement that she totally flies by me with not much notice on my part. Suffice to say, I hate this song XD.

5. SHIFT

To be honest, the only “capsule-like” song on the album has to be SHIFT but it does take some elements from “CONTROL” which I don’t totally mind but similarities are a bit surprising. The whole glitching of Toshiko’s lines is also quite a bit jarring, but there’s something about this tinkering that made me think there was something a bit genius about the tune. I enjoyed it!

6. ESC

Only a second longer than “HOME”, ESC starts off with this ominous breeze and some whispery voices and then bubbles and dark piano lines and other random shit (ala “12345678” but less distracting). Really that’s all there is to it…atmospheric and yet…doesn’t even fit on this album. I mean it’s also a bit off to have an interlude on such a short album as it is, but holy shit was this the epitome of useless.

7. SPACE

After that colossal failure, SPACE comes in with a certain atmospheric but a little more electro (like “WORLD OF FANTASY”) but keeps it on a chill pace. It’s nice to hear Toshiko return to the vocals, but it just sounds like she’s just ~ahhhhh-ing~ the entire track which makes it lose points for not filling in the spaces because that was just disappointing to me. Lost potential in this tune >.>

8. RETURN

The final track on the album slightly mirrors “HOME” with a piano introduction but it leads to something that kind of reminds me of something they would’ve done from their debut album, “High Collar Girl” minus the synths that are present. Sadly once again it’s like a 5 minute outro…with no Toshiko…man what is with the absence? Honestly, this was boring…

Tracks Recommended

SHIFT

DELETE

CONTROL

Song of Avoidance

12345678

With capsule changing labels and changing their name to CAPSULE…their first album…honestly sucks. I mean this could be their worst album they’ve done since they debuted. I mean if there was a theme, it didn’t stick very well and a lot of the songs sounds more Nakata than CAPSULE…I mean Toshiko only appeared in half the songs, but one she was just ahhh-ing and another the song sucked entirely. Yeah, I have no idea what went wrong and I wished Nakata had some liner notes about this one because right now…MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT.

Things already start off on a pretty good note with the album’s first song Feelin’ Alright which has a pretty gritty sound to it mixed with something that I felt could’ve been from “Sugarless GiRL”. Some of the guitar-licks remind me of “Spider” which is also quite awesome. Very dark and definitely true to Nakata’s sound. It’s funny though that Toshiko really doesn’t do much besides sing the title so she doesn’t have a lot of presence. This is pretty much an awesome first track!

2. Never Let Me Go

I’m surprised we’d get into Never Let Me Go which is pretty club-like for Nakata to pull but it’s nice and the beat and melody is kind of catchy, though repetitive at times. Just like the previous song though, Toshiko’s is one again relegated to repeat the title over and over which is a bust for me. I’m not sure but I’m not remembering this song very well…

3. In The Rain

At first a bit of the song reminded me of “Adventure” but that’s good since I do like solid beats in my songs. After the arrangement plays for a while it’s replaced by a synth melody and I was just entranced by it. The intro does take a bit too long to get to Toshiko’s singing parts IMO. However, when she does come in and start singing, it really turns the song into a really calm and pretty track. If it took our the long start-up, I think it would be an epic song here.

4. Dee J

Hey beeping of next song, why must you ache my ears as much as you did! Yeah, the beeping that starts the song is going to irksome to a few people especially to the people wearing headphones because this sound goes through for a while before stock vocals come in and say the title. I like that it does have a certain “WORLD OF FANTASY” kind of groove with the tribal drum and chanting in the background but I’m so distracted with the high-pitched synth beeps that it’s hard to have focus towards the song. Probably my least favorite of the songs.

5. Step on The Floor

After escaping that mess, it’s nice to get back to more of Nakata’s Toshiko-fronted songs because there really hasn’t been a lot of that on this album so far. I usually notice that Toshiko as the soft-spoken and once again she pulls the song off quite nicely despite covered in vocoder. I thought they chose a good song to promote digitally and does stand out on the album. I almost get some Perfume vibes later on as well…it’s pretty cool!

6. Tapping Beats

I’m surprised Tapping Beats is the album’s shortest song at a little over 3 minutes. It’s also a surprise that Toshiko is found here and to be honest I’m loving the beat of the song and the darker vibes with the arrangement moving the way it is. As short as it is, it really lodged itself in my mind and I thought it was badass and cool as it should be. Great song!!!

7. All The Way

Another song that took a page out of “WORLD OF FANTASY”, All The Way starts with a tribal drum beat before switching into electronic beats and Toshiko singing in a legato kind of way. It’s an interesting song that’s for sure and the arrangement is pretty busy. It’s repetitive nature does bother me a little bit but the music-only parts are pretty cool especially when cowbell is heard XD.

8. Motor Force

This is definitely a song that will encapsulate a lot of previous capsule albums into one because it sounds like an overall feel when it’s put up to the sounds of “MORE!MORE!MORE”, “PLAYER”, and “WORLD OF FANTASY” it just reminds me of those three in such a big way. Unfortunately there is no Toshiko to be found so it’s entirely a Nakata solo in that regard. There’s not a lot of lyrics either except a stock vocal going ~1, 2, 3, 4~ in the later half of the song. I still like the track because of its aggressive nature overall and it sounds awesome to rave to!

9. Transparent

The final song on the album is kind of different in a good way though since it has this “Lounge Designers Killer” feel in the intro and then once Toshiko starts to sing it kind of reminds then of like “FLASH BACK” stuff but a little bit of Perfume like “Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow” time-frame. It’s a really different kind of capsule sound and I’m liking this light yet electro-ish feel. It’s a solid way to finish the album up!

Tracks Recommended

Tapping Beats

Transparent

Feelin’ Alright

Motor Force

In The Rain

Song of Avoidance

Dee J

While I will say I did enjoy the album, STEREO WORXXX doesn’t surpass their last couple of albums. I didn’t feel like most of the songs stuck to me like a lot of stuff from their last 5 albums have which is definitely not a good thing. I don’t think the second disc is really worth it to be honest since I’m sure it would make things a little more repetitive and just not help the situation this album has. I will say the first three tracks are the only tracks that’ll get a lot of listens but the rest is just meh….

Yay for intro track right? OPEN THE GATE sounds kind of mysterious but cool at the same time with the amount of synths playing in the song. Sounds like something from an RPG or something, it’s just that cool to listen to.

2. WORLD OF FANTASY

As the album’s promotional track (odd the PV isn’t included to the album though). Just like the opening, WORLD OF FANTASY has such a sweet vibe to it and it sounds like something I’d drive to at night since it has that kind of drive to it. Toshiko also appears to sing the lyrics and they seem to be repetitive lyrics once again. I definitely enjoyed this song and I’m pretty much in love with the PV. Good choice to promote.

3. I JUST WANNA XXX YOU

You wanna do what with me?!!!! I love the the kind of darker vibe of our next song because it’s so unusual and new from Nakata-san. In a way it kind of sounds like Indian music, but pretty slight since the song is still more focused on the club beats. The thing that makes me lulz is Toshiko saying the title and knowing she’s saying ~fuck~ but it’s censored out XDDDD. Fun song here LOL

4. STRIKER

I’m not sure it’s Toshiko singing in STRIKER, but the fact there’s no auto-tune/vocoder stuck on her voice is pretty interesting and STRIKER is definitely reminding me of “e.d.i.t” from two album’s past with such an eargasm of an arrangement. Unlike the past two tracks, this one is more focused on Nakata’s skills as a producer and he does a kickass job with this one. It’s one of my favorites from the album to be honest.

5. KEEP HOPE ALIVE

LOL, are we really wanting to make this sound like some SNES adventure game?!? I don’t know why, but the way KEEP HOPE ALIVE sounds reminds of those good ole days. I am happy that the song isn’t lines repeated and an actual structured song for the duo and it’s kind of catchy for being one of the more lighter songs on the album.

6. I WILL

If I thought “I JUST WANNA XXX YOU” had light Indian vibes, the opening for I WILL totally caught me with that freaky chant. This track though really is something else. What I mean is that it’s pretty dark and heavy and I like that quite a bit. I like Toshiko here as well seeing as she isn’t in auto-tune again for the most part surprised me in such a song like this. Loving this track!!!

7. WHAT iS LOVE

Why is the “i” in lower case here XD. After the dark electro we got with “I WILL”, it’s a but of a weird change to get into something more lighter and happier with WHAT iS LOVE. I will say that I love the fact Nakata introduced brass in the arrangement for sure. Sadly, stock vocals finally make their appearance here and while I kind of go meh at them, Toshiko also coincides in the song so it’s not a big disappointment. This song is nice though, but I don’t remember this as much the other songs on the album.

8. I CANT SAY I LIKE YOU

I don’t know why but this sounds like something Terukado would produce (at least in the opening before it cuts to the lone synth melody). More stock vocals appear as well and once again, not bad because Toshiko’s there too, but this is kind of like a lighter version of “What do you want to do”. It’s alright, but I kind of forget it after a while.

9. PRIME TIME

For the final main song, PRIME TIME also feels like “The Music” in the sound of synths, but this is a bit more interesting to listen to because Toshiko has a more active role going on here. Funny that this song would be the one to capture my interest because of the fuller experience and Toshiko sounds great even though she’s definitely under some auto-tune. Epic song to really end things up with!

10. CLOSE THE GATE

Finally, there’s the outro to the album which is also as mysterious as the intro. It’s a tiny bit longer than the intro, but this kind of grows more as time goes by adding ad-libbing after a while but it kind of just ends after that. Strange for an outro but I guess it does its job

CD2

1. WORLD OF FANTASY (Extended-Mix)

Adding almost 3 extra minutes to the song WORLD OF FANTASY begins the second disc on a long note. Like previous extensions of Nakata’s capsule works, it starts with a pulsing beat and builds upon that before the main arrangement comes in. Now the parts extended were mostly in the beginning and end but it’s usually that each time. It’s really a nice extension of an already good song so it’s your choice for which to like.

2. STRIKER (Extended-Mix)

Unlike “WORLD OF FANTASY’s” extra three minutes, STRIKER only adds about a minute and that’s a little odd to me. I mean it does have a different opening and I don’t really notice the changes made but it’s ok since the song is still quite awesome. Definitely still an epic song.

Tracks Recommended

I WILL

STRIKER

PRIME TIME

WORLD OF FANTASY

I JUST WANNA XXX YOU

Song of Avoidance

I CANT SAY I LIKE YOU

Wow, I think this album is probably the hardest album capsule has done yet since there was no song that was slow and boring so this was easily meant to be album to dance to the ENTIRE time. I wish this was out sooner under the “KILLER WAVE” title but y’know earthquake happens and sends it back a month. Still, WORLD OF FANTASY is a pretty strong release from the duo and I seriously loved it! Definitely an upgrade after “PLAYER”!

Beginning the album off with one of the pre-released songs, Stay with You has this kind of old sound to it from the start before Toshiko comes in the main song. While a lot of people have commented that this really sounds like a Perfume song, I definitely would have to agree here because of the way the song runs and I can easily picture Perfume just taking over. Not bad of a song overall, but it’s lightweight. Maybe closer to “Adventure” off their last album.

2. Player

Ah the ever-so-needed title track. While they have never slipped on the more recent title tracks, Player is definitely one of those songs that will make you scratch your head in confusion. In some weird parallel, Player can be compared to “the Time is Now” since both songs have rappers, but this one has a male rapper who sounds rather familiar to the guy that did the Orbit commercials? To the music, Nakata has done weird things but this might be near the top since it’s so hypnotic and so freaky. I love Nakata’s work and while the rapping might not be as good as I hoped, it’s definitely great!

3. I wish You

I know Nakata has been recently been enjoying these strange melodies like this song where it seems broken and split through the middle but it’s chill and Toshiko (I hope) is sounding relaxed moreso than normal. It might break the flow a little bit because of the placement. To be honest, it’s alright, but I think the song is a little messy.

4. The Music

Yes please! “MORE! MORE! MORE!” had “JUMPER” as its epic song and I was wondering if we’d get that on this album and fourth song in, we actually do. While the songs drive is somewhat lighter and the arrangement isn’t as forward, the song is definitely epic in its own right because of the way it just flows and Toshiko’s vocals and the songs length. Just like it’s brethren, it’s lyrically repetitive, but it’s not a drag and it’s mysterious parts are keepers, even the hard to hear male rapping is nicely shoved in as well. LOVE IT!

5. Factory

I’m surprised we’d get 3 songs that are over 7 minutes in length and Factory seems to be the other track I was rather excited to hear because of just the title. I did find the opening a little too drawn out for me, to be honest it barely moved outside of the chords. I mean two minutes in and we’re like still in the same chord progression and these stock vocals are kind of meh. I think about when when the vocals start to repeat it somewhat connects, but otherwise I’m definitely not a fan of this song.

6. I was Wrong

Talk about some weird shit going on! I was Wrong is definitely the odd track off the album because it’s so lowkey and so chilled out even moreso than anything previous from Nakata. It’s hard to explain this track because it’s just so farfetched, but at the same time I’m finding myself lulled into this track. The first vocalist sounds so soothing and hypnotic while the chorus has a different singer and she sounds good too as well. Mix in the dissonant sounds from strings and piano and you get this longing feeling of a song…Strange but I dig it!

7. Can I Have A Word

Carrying on the dissonance from the previous song, it opens this track before being replaced by synths and Toshiko also returns as well which is someone I’ve been missing. Now this is probably an homage back to the “Pleasure ground”, “Sugarless GiRL” kind of sound capsule had before and I really enjoyed this song since it’s not too messed up and the synths were strong. Even the bopping was kind of cute.

8. What do you want to do

I knew Nakata was going to pull another weird song near the album. It’s another one of those experimental tracks that could mess you up or make you fall in love, but at least Toshiko is a part of this which makes this blow a little more easier to swallow. To be honest, I’m loving the screechy synths to make it sound more like a rave than anything else. Deeper synths, more percussion, and just overall more raw than capsule before it’s pretty epic. Ok, this might be the other “JUMPER” and I liked it alot!

9. Hello

The first known song off the album, Hello is oddly enough the shortest song off the album not even making two minutes in length. It’s a pretty weird song that kind of depends on this bounce and specific hit which makes the song very mechanical in sound and to me that’s somewhat bothersome because that’s the entire song so it just comes off very mundane and meh. Though the strings and extra bells and whistles makes the original sound like crap.

10. Love or Lies

Ending the album off, Love or Lies is definitely something I would’ve expected on “MORE! MORE! MORE!” since it does have a deeper sound. Toshiko also provides a lot more than normal which is good and the way she sings the song is pretty progressive and has a good rhythm as well. It might be a little like this album’s opening track, but more better so I ended up liking this, even Roxanne was good! XD

11. Love or Lies remix

A bonus track from the iTunes release of the album, we get a remix of Love or Lies. Compared to the original, this is a bit more darker and slower than said song which is probably going to throw some people for a loop. It seems that Toshiko’s vocals in the song was also slowed down quite considerably. Sadly, it’s kind of poor excuse of a remix since it doesn’t really change melodies nor really try to be a good remix. Sorry, it’s just plain boring.

Tracks Recommended

The Music

What do you want to do

Love or Lies

I was Wrong

Player

Song of Avoidance

Love or Lies remix

While I have reviewed all of capsule’s albums, I’ve always ended up either loving it or just purely hating it, with PLAYER I’m on a standstill. I love that Nakata is broadening out his sound and gave some fun new music and shows he’s growing even further with his work, the bad thing is that some of it came off too messy (I wish You) or repetitive (Factory). I think I’ll grow to enjoy most of it, but right now “MORE! MORE! MORE! is still my favorite capsule album to date.

Probably one of their longest opening tracks, construction opens the album kind of like how “Haikara Girl” did with the 8bit arrangement, but this time there’s some heavily vocodered vocals added as well giving it a strange feel…not bad, but it does lead awesomely into…

2. FLASH BACK

Our title track, FLASH BACK. While I’m very disappointed that this is an instrumental more than anything, the edgier arrangement is a welcome change indeed and goes back to some of the songs back on “Sugarless GiRL”. I really love how it flows and it just is so gritty and dark for Nakata that it actually kind of surprised me.

3. Eternity

While, I’m pretty excited that Toshiko finally makes her first appearance in the album and Eternity seems to be moving capsule towards the Perfume electro-pop we’ve come to love. It’s quite cool and catchy, but Toshiko doesn’t sound as lively as she usually is…and I’m hearing ~flash back~ which I guess ties in nicely from the previous song.

4. You are the reason

What’s up with the weird stock vocals that skipped on the lyrics? It’s kind of goofy, but I don’t mind it because the arrangement is quite cool and I’m liking the English vocals here, even though they aren’t Toshiko’s. Then they started to throw that skipping again and adding a double echo which gave it a chaotic feel. Once the chorus comes in, there’s just way too much going on and I spaced out just to listen to Nakata’s arrangement which is pretty awesome. Nice enough track and gets me moving so that’s a plus.

5. Love Me

Ugh, the opening to Love Me is one of Nakata’s worst endeavors yet because it’s just so abstract and hits these amazingly bad synth chords. At least when that’s over the song picks up with a dark synth melody and even more stock vocals. About them, it’s kind of like a ghost is saying them because it’s so airy and ethereal. I also find it very ironic in a song whose lyrics base around ~Do you love me?~ when the next album’s track “e.d.i.t” has the main line ~Do you think you can love me?~. Very strange but at the same time it seems like this song was a prototype for the later song.

6. I’m Feeling You

Released as the lone B-side to the album, I’m Feeling You continues this ethereal mood and FINALLY we hear more Toshiko! It’s definitely got a awesome flow going for it. It does remind me of a Perfume song, but at the same time Toshiko really made it her own with the way she sung the song and it’s kind of different from the rest of the album. I think so far, this is the best song off the album.

7. MUSiXXX

Like I’ve said in my previous reviews, MUSiXXX definitely reminds me of “GAME” with the way that beginning goes. It is the leading A-side off the album and to me, I’m not really thinking much of the song because it’s like “FLASH BACK” where it’s mostly instrumental. At least in this song, someone says ~MUSiXXX~ and some other heavily vocodered stuff. Not the best, but it’s far from being bad.

8. Get down

Starting with a steady beat, Get down has the right idea going because there’s such a cool beat. I’m liking that Toshiko is back, but her vocals are pretty wacky with some echoing and some layering as well. It’s kind of freaky listening to it because it’s so vocally odd. Sadly, the song never fully goes anywhere and I’m not enjoying the repeated ~get down, get down~ lines either.

9. Electric light Moon light

Ending off the album, Electric light Moon light is the slowest and most chillest song off the album which definitely made me scratch my head in confusion. It’s kind of just one of those songs you don’t exactly expect on an album. Even then it reminds me of a Sonic Adventure 2 song…I’m not sure why, but I like it, and is that strings and harp I hear? WHOA!

Tracks Recommended

I’m Feeling You

Love Me

Electric light Moon light

You are the reason

Song of Avoidance

Get down

People always bag on FLASH BACK when they look at the 4 heavily electro albums: FRUITS CLiPPER, Sugarless GiRL, this album, and “MORE! MORE! MORE!”. While I do agree that SG and M!M!M! are the better ones, I kind of liked FLASH BACK. I mean yes, there’s even less Toshiko on the album, but Nakata’s productions were steady to stand alone with stock vocals. Not a bad album!

All that’s going on here is just a talking opener to the album. That’s just because we love our stock vocals right? It’s kind of freaky actually since it’s a female robotic voice….shocker right?

2. Starry Sky

That voice actually reappears into our first track off the album which was also the lone A-side released single for the album. Starry Sky does drag itself at the start since it has a long instrumental before Toshiko comes in and sings off. Now right from the start, you can tell this is a evolution of capsule because of the harder synth style and J-tek style that has taken over. Now all of the vocoder also works here as well giving Toshiko something to make her off vocals work and this is a good way to begin the album.

3. REALiTY

I’ll be honest, the first B-side off the album, REALiTY is another surprise, especially to the more Shibuya-kei fans because not only does it not feature Toshiko it’s got a male vocalist going on here and I kind of like the songs where Nakata uses a male voice for a song (like “Phantom”). After a while it does become a little too formulaic and maybe a bit repetitive, but y’know how J-tek works.

4. Sugarless GiRL

The next three tracks, are like the trinity to capsule on this album. Starting off with Sugarless GiRL which was a B-side to “Starry Sky” (WTF, why is this a B-side?????). Clearly Nakata didn’t have high hopes, but this song would be the epitome to what capsule new sound was like and was further driven for other acoustically driven J-tek songs like Perfume’s “Computer City”. To be quite honest, it is their best song they’ve had so far. I mean it isn’t as heavy like the last two tracks, but it’s enough to dance too and Toshiko returns as well. Toshiko also added some emotion to the song which made it even better….ahhhh this song is a legend.

5. Catch my breath

I kind of consider this to be a long interlude rather than a full on track…I mean well it’s two parts repeated and Toshiko isn’t even it (at least I don’t think so). Why I consider it part of the trinity? Well it bridges “Sugarless GiRL” and “Spider”. Now this has a heavier beat and it sounds dark but the thing that gets me, is that the lyrics are hard to decipher. It’s those damn stock vocals, but in my mind, I think not knowing what they are saying is actually quite different. ~It’s nice to know that you were there. Thanks for acting like you care, I can hardly catch my breath~ Sweet ass line.

6. Spider

Then we get to Spider, Damn…this was one mindfuck of a song going around IMO. Toshiko returns and she brought freaky in a new way. The arrangement does have electric guitar which is pretty cool and the heavy dance beats continue. Seriously though, Toshiko’s lack of emotion in the song worked especially when the topic is about how she’s stuck in love and this person is like a spider. The chorus though kind of draggy, it pretty dark-like and eerie especially when Toshiko is all like ~spidaaaaaaaah~

7. MUZiC

Enough of that fangasm xD. MUZiC kind of bores me actually. I mean there’s a bit of a lulz factor to it, since the song sounds like something from some gay porno. There’s some moans here and there and the beats is jumpy which is nice. I just found this song to just fly by me, but it’s funny to hear it once in a while, just for those moans. After a while stock vocals return too….hmmm lack of Toshiko FTL.

8. melting point

Strange to have a piano interlude on an electro capsule album….It just doesn’t seem to fit at all on here (then again, it wouldn’t really fit on any of their other albums). So it’s longer than the opener and I guess it gives us a break from the album.

9. Sound of Silence

~I’ve never felt this sound of silence!~ Oh wow, this would be under something different on the album as it is more pop-laced than the other tracks, but once again no Toshiko in sight. It’s more around the club/house sound and I quite like it actually since the music sounds easily like a Perfume tune, but with stock vocals. It’s quite interesting and I like it, though throw in some Perfume though….xD

10. Secret Paradise

Ending off the main album, Secret Paradise is quite the odd track IMO. I don’t know why but it seems ethereal as a J-tek track, then again it actually sounds like something off their last album so it’s nice to see something on here that’s like that. Still the whole sound of it is quite nice actually.

11. Star Sniper

So if you bought the album via iTunes, you get another track…hmmm Star Sniper is different from the other tracks in the way it sounds a little tribal almost or maybe that’s me. I love the heavy synths playing around here. There’s some whispering going around which bothers me, since iono what language it’s in….French? Who knows, I guess after all that the song just doesn’t make me like it much…where’s my Toshiko?

Tracks Recommended

Sugarless GiRL

Spider

Catch my breath

Sound of Silence

Song of Avoidance

Star Sniper

capsule really made their fans turn their heads in two directions with this album. Some like the new fresh sound Nakata was using on the album while others were basically shunning them because they lost their original sound altogether. For me, I actually love this album and shows Nakata can do a lot more than pico-pop and thrust himself into the J-tek field. Sugarless GiRL is one of their best if not their best album.